Stephen A. Smith Makes Bold Claim About Knicks’ Jalen Brunson

Jalen Brunson has helped lead the New York Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals. The All-Star guard has been phenomenal for Tom Thibodeau’s team and is proving himself to be the star everybody says he is.

As such, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith has made the bold claim that Brunson is the best player left in the postseason.

“Jalen Brunson is clearly the best player in the playoffs,” Smith said on a May 20 episode of First Take. “…Jalen Brunson is the best playoff dude… I get that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the best in terms of all-around from the beginning of the season to now, and he’s about to win the MVP. But there’s somebody in the mix that can steal thunder from both of them, and it’s Ant-Man.”

Brunson is averaging 28.8 points, 7.7 assists and 3.9 rebounds over 12 postseason games thus far. He’s shooting 36.3% from deep and 48% from 2-point range while leading the Knicks in shot attempts and usage rate.

New York has a deep and talented roster. Karl-Anthony Towns is capable of putting the team on his back for stretches, as is OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and even Josh Hart. However, Brunson is the Batman of that roster. However, he faces some stern competition for the title of best player left in the postseason, despite what Smith says.

Thibodeau is Earning Respect for Knicks Run

Another person earning a significant amount of respect from the Knicks’ current postseason run is Tom Thibodeau. Joe Mazzulla shared his thoughts on the job Thibodeau is doing shortly after the Knicks eliminated the Boston Celtics from the Conference Semifinals.

“You’ve got to tip your hat off to the Knicks,” Mazzulla said. “They outplayed us… I’m happy for Thibs. He’s been coaching for a long time. To me, the biggest thing is that you pay your dues and put forth everything. That guy’s a lifer, man. He’s everything a coach is all about, and he deserves it. So I think it’s more about that, and they deserve it as a team, and you’ve got to tip your hat off to them.”

Thibodeau has slowly developed this Knicks team. He has instilled a culture and toughness that is paying dividends on this current run. Sooner or later, New York will likely find itself in the NBA Finals, courtesy of the work Thibodeau has been putting in since joining the franchise in 2020.

PJ Tucker’s Leadership is Helping the Knicks

During a recent appearance on MSG Network’s postgame show, Josh Hart praised P.J. Tucker for the leadership he’s been providing since joining the franchise ahead of the playoffs.

“Shoutout to PJ Tucker, for making sure we’re up, we’re talking,” Hart said.. “He brought that championship pedigree to us and he deserved a big shoutout … He’s just someone that always talks to us. He’s a champion and he’s bringing that mentality.”

Tucker is a former NBA champion. He’s also one of the more physical competitors in the current NBA ecosystem. His presence on the bench and in the locker room is likely paying dividends on the court. Tucker was acquired to provide additional leadership, and that move appears to be paying off for the Knicks.